
Don’t scroll past this. Seriously! Even if you think French-language politics isn’t your thing — read on. On Sunday night the leaders of the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party set down (individually) on Tout le Monde en Parle. What is that you ask? If 60 Minutes, The Daily Show, and your smartest cousin’s dinner party had a baby — and that baby grew up snacking on sarcasm, politics, and deep cultural takes — you’d have Tout le Monde en Parle. It’s the Sunday night ritual in Quebec. It draws over a million viewers weekly — not just for celebrity fluff, but for real talk. Politicians, artists, thinkers, scandal-ridden CEOs — if you’ve got something to prove (or confess), this is where you go. It’s not a puff-piece show. It’s not a debate stage. It’s more like stepping into the collective living room of Quebec — where everyone’s got a glass of wine, a sharp opinion, and no time for BS. If you do well there, Quebec notices. If you bomb? Quebec really notices. Put simply: It’s where reputations are built… or politely shredded in real time. So when the two men most likely to run the country sit down for solo interviews, you better believe it’s not “just a Quebec thing.” It’s a national preview with cultural teeth. So how did they do?
Mark Carney — measured, humble, a little too professional, and fully aware of his weaknesses. He apologized for long answers (in French!) and still made that sound like leadership.
Pierre Poilievre — calm on the surface, barbed underneath. Less attack dog, more cobra in a suit. Still managed to make the word “Bonjour” feel like a threat.
Even the National Post and Edelman Communications called it straight: Carney was sincere. Poilievre was sharp-edged. And Quebec was watching closely. And here’s the moment that matters, and let’s hope it holds true. Quebecers said: “Let’s stop talking about Mark Carney’s French. It’s good enough!!” Because honestly? He said more with a slight accent than most say fluently.
Now, the math: In 2021 in Quebec there were 33 Liberal seats, 34 Bloc seats, 10 Conservative seats and 1 NDP seat. This week? The Bloc’s grip is slipping. Liberals are now in contention for up to 46 seats. Conservatives are circling 12. The bloc? Hanging onto 18.
So what happens if those Bloc seats fall? They don’t disappear. They swing. And that swing could tip the country. This is not the time to be anti-Quebec or dismissive of “French politics.” Quebec is part of the equation, and they may solve it before the rest of us finish the question. So remember Wednesday, April 16: French-language leaders’ debate. Be sure to check the time in your time zone. Only in Canada do we move a national debate because the Habs might, maybe, kind of, make the playoffs. Because when culture and politics collide here, hockey wins — and no one even argues about it. And here’s something the rest of Canada needs to clock: Quebec isn’t just talking about ‘its’ sovereignty anymore. Quebecers are asking real questions about Canada’s sovereignty — economic, cultural, democratic. It’s a level of political engagement that deserves national attention, not dismissal. So the tone and tenure for tonight? Poilievre comes in angry and rehearsed, locked and loaded with rage-fuelled zingers, Singh sounds smooth in French but knows he’s one bad night from political oblivion and Blanchet is the hometown sniper — charming, cutting, and ready to play goalie for Quebec nationalism. Carney? He’s the target. Because when you’re in first, everyone else is just fighting to become your headline.This week isn’t just about a pair of debates. It’s about who gets to narrate the next four years — and if you’re not paying attention, don’t be shocked when the plot makes zero sense, the villain gets top billing, and there’s no option to skip the ads… or the consequences.











